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Postcard from the Saddle... or the Roadside! From Kerry Mack

Published on Monday, October 28, 2013 in Postcards from the saddle

The marvellous adventures of the Mayfield Farm team continue.

Let me tell you about travelling and first aid, and the wonderful camaraderie among horse people, especially when things go horribly wrong, as they just did on our way home. 

We had a pretty successful Saddleworld Aussie Dressage champs. Tori and Miracle won the CDI Y, Limelight placed in the Elementary. We had a good time and saw old friends and made new friends, as you do.

We packed up and headed home. Just out of Yass I smelled burning rubber and within a couple of minutes it was clear that our truck was on fire, in the horse section.

Tori and I got Be Brave off the truck, but Miracle was down, and I couldn't get the divider undone due to his weight leaning on it. Thank goodness some Samaritans stopped and a strong man undid it, thank you so much, whoever you are.

Miracle had his leg through the burning floor. Luckily his (cotton) rug had not caught alight. I thought he was a goner, but he leapt up, and down the tailboard with his usual joi de vivre! Next we unloaded Limelight, a bit stressed but okay. Then we put the fire out with the extinguisher that lives by the driver's seat.

How lucky we were that there was nothing like a heavy tack box behind them, their lead ropes were on, they were tied up with panic snaps and we had good footwear. No thongs and sandals when travelling horses.

The horses behaved like it was an everyday event to stand on the Hume Highway in peak hour with the semis and B doubles roaring by, while we pressure bandaged Miracle's leg to stop the bleeding. Our new friend Holly had stopped too, so we had a third horse person to help and she stayed until we were off the highway, rescued by Steven Dingwell and Jan Smith.

Our rescue was arranged by other people, after a quick call to Julia Battams, Dressage High Performance Manager and Kristin White, who got onto the right people.

Unfortunately it took a while for them to come as they were given the wrong directions. When they came we had bridles on for more control loading onto a strange truck in the dark on the freeway! Probably no need as the boys were all eager to leave and leapt aboard as if they were being rescued at sea.

A mechanic arrived to get our truck mobile, and by the time I got to Jan's the vet was checking Miracle out. The decision was made to take him to Canberra Vet Hospital. Like magic, a car and very practical step up float materialised.

By the time Steve got me back to Jan and Barry's it was 2:00am.

What we didn't have that we should have had was a veterinary first aid box accessible from the outside of the truck.

It would have been better if we could have iced Miracle straight away, and given him some pain relief while we were waiting, but I had nothing with us. It was one of those important but not urgent jobs that I hadn't got around to - checking the first aid kit.

The cause of the fire was a hole in the exhaust setting alight to the (new) floor. The truck had been serviced the week before we left.

So even if you do the right thing to prevent accidents they still happen. You must be prepared for the worst. A first aid kit should include a range of bandages and dressings padding, scissors, stethoscope, thermometer, pliers or wire cutters and a good knife, disinfectant, pain killers and a twitch.

A towel makes a good blind fold. Knee hobbles can be useful. Always have a stallion chain available. An injured horse may become difficult to manage so you may need a bit more leverage. Gloves and a good torch are useful. Keep his head down if he is upset.

Actually, all our horses were awesome and didn't give us a moment of concern about their behaviour.

Stay calm and speak quietly. It is best if someone is able to take charge.

The network of horse people across the country is there to help if you need it and is truly wonderful. 

We are all hoping for the best for Miracle. Time will tell.

My deepest and most heartfelt thanks to all the people who have helped including those we know, those we don't and those who are now new friends.


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